


Naming Rights

by misura



Category: Havemercy Series - Jaida Jones & Danielle Bennett
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-01
Updated: 2015-12-01
Packaged: 2018-05-07 11:33:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5455049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caius and Alcibiades at the farm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Naming Rights

**Author's Note:**

  * For [canniballistics](https://archiveofourown.org/users/canniballistics/gifts).



"Yana suggested you might name one of the chicks," Alcibiades said, his tone so morose I required a few moments to realize that he was not, in fact, telling me someone (or some _thing_ , I supposed) had died, but rather, that he was bringing me the most wonderful news.

I understood his mood, of course. Yana had always belonged exclusively to him and his brothers, and as far as I had been able to determine, Alcibiades's brothers rarely, if ever, came by anymore.

It was only natural that he would feel some small resentment at needing to share her once more, even if it was with me. Also, I rather imagined, he might feel as if my own affections were no longer exclusively his. I had been neither discrete nor modest in heaping praise on the delightful lady that was Yana Berger. Small wonder the poor dear was feeling neglected. I would have to think of something to cheer him up, and soon.

"I would be delighted," I said, and then, because nobody likes to be made to feel unwelcome, even by their dearest friends, "Of course, I will only do so if you have no objection to it."

Alcibiades grunted. Happily, I was well-versed in the language by now.

"You are very kind to offer me your guidance," I said. "I don't doubt for a moment that you have much more experience in this matter than I have. Of course, I have named a number of animals, but none of them were chickens. It stands to reason that one cannot bestow the same name on a chicken as one would on a fox or peacock."

"They're both birds."

"Indeed they are." One might with equal truthfulness claim that Alcibiades and th'Esar were both men.

Alcibiades seemed slightly stumped by my ready agreement. I could not imagine why. Perhaps he had thought me more ignorant of the animal world than I had just proven myself.

"Well, the peacock and the chicken are, at any rate," I added, by way of testing my theory. "I assume that are the two species you were referring to?"

"Yes," he said, which I took for a confession and an apology, wrapped up in a single word.

"I thought so," I said, by way of signalling that I forgave him. Naturally, one does not like to be underestimated by one's dearest friends, but it would be churlish to hold a grudge after such a handsome apology. "Will you be naming one of the chicks as well?"

Perhaps, I thought, I might name mine 'Alcibiades' and he could name his 'Caius'. I quite fancied the idea of having a chicken named for me, to remind the delightful Yana of me after I had gone.

"No," Alcibiades said, cruelly putting an end to my happy fantasy. It would never do, of course, for Yana to only have a chicken named for Alcibiades. He would be quite lonely by himself, surrounded by ordinary chickens bearing ordinary chicken names.

"Well, you can help me name mine," I comforted him. It seemed a bit cruel, but Yana must have her reasons. "We shall name it together." I was, I felt, being quite generous.

Alcibiades grunted, clearly too overcome by emotion to use words.

"You are very welcome," I said. "And I do hope that you will let me help you pick out a handsome outfit for the occasion."

Alcibiades grunted once more, still overwhelmed by my kindness.

"I have no idea," I confessed. "Perhaps I shall have something new made. We do have some time yet, don't we? I don't wish to be hasty, but of course, one imagines it must be a bit of a bother, going through one's life without a name, even if one is only a chicken."

This time, Alcibiades even neglected to grunt. It was truly remarkable how well we understood one another nowadays.

"Lunch would be delightful. I was thinking that we might picnic near the river, on that same spot we went last week." There were some remarkably lovely flowers growing there. This time, I was determined to pick some of them and bring them back for Yana.

Possibly, I would pick some for Alcibiades as well. He might dry them, so that we would have a memento of this happy afternoon for the rest of our lives.

Of course, I would always be around to remind him, so perhaps a memento would be superfluous. I would have to carefully consider the situation with all its possible ramifications and decide accordingly.

I had no doubt that this would prove a task I was equal to.


End file.
